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Essential Greek phrases
for travellers (printable)
how to say hello in greek
Γεια σας — yah sahs — is how you say hello in Greek. It works at any hour, anywhere the language is spoken, with anyone. Pair it with Ευχαριστώ (ef-khah-rees-TOH) for thank you and you already have the two words you will use most.
Below are 36 phrases worth knowing before you land, grouped by the situation you will need them in. Every one has a plain-English respelling — stressed syllable in capitals — because IPA is no use to anyone standing at a pharmacy counter. Greece and Cyprus — around 13 million speakers, with the oldest continuously documented history of any Indo-European language. Also searched as Greece, Cyprus.
take it with you
The whole card, on one page
All 36 phrases on a single sheet — print it, fold it into a passport, or keep it on your phone. Free, no signup, no watermark.
The essentials
The six words that carry most of a trip.
| English | Greek |
|---|---|
| Hello | Γεια σαςyah sahsΓεια σου (yah soo) to one person, informally. |
| Goodbye | Αντίοah-DEE-oh |
| Please | Παρακαλώpah-rah-kah-LOHAlso means "you’re welcome" and "how can I help?". |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώef-khah-rees-TOH |
| Yes / No | Ναι / Όχιneh / OH-kheeΝαι is YES. It sounds like "nay" and means the opposite. |
| Excuse me / Sorry | Συγγνώμηsee-GHNOH-mee |
Getting by
What to say when the conversation outruns you.
| English | Greek |
|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | Μιλάτε αγγλικά;mee-LAH-teh ahn-glee-KAH |
| I don't understand | Δεν καταλαβαίνωthen kah-tah-lah-VEH-noh |
| Could you repeat that? | Μπορείτε να το επαναλάβετε;boh-REE-teh nah toh eh-pah-nah-LAH-veh-teh |
| Please speak slowly | Μιλάτε αργά, παρακαλώmee-LAH-teh ar-GHAH |
| My name is… | Με λένε…meh LEH-neh |
| Nice to meet you | Χαίρω πολύKHEH-roh poh-LEE |
Getting around
Streets, stations and the one question everyone needs.
| English | Greek |
|---|---|
| Where is…? | Πού είναι…;poo EE-neh |
| How do I get to…? | Πώς πάω στο…;pohs PAH-oh stoh |
| Where is the toilet? | Πού είναι η τουαλέτα;poo EE-neh ee too-ah-LEH-tah |
| Left / Right | Αριστερά / Δεξιάah-rees-teh-RAH / thek-see-AH |
| Straight ahead | Ευθείαef-THEE-ah |
| Is it far? | Είναι μακριά;EE-neh mah-kree-AH |
Food and drink
Ordering, allergies, and asking for the bill.
| English | Greek |
|---|---|
| A table for two, please | Ένα τραπέζι για δύοEH-nah trah-PEH-zee yah THEE-oh |
| The menu, please | Τον κατάλογο, παρακαλώton kah-TAH-loh-ghoh |
| I would like… | Θα ήθελα…thah EE-theh-lah |
| Water, please | Νερό, παρακαλώneh-ROH pah-rah-kah-LOH |
| I am allergic to… | Έχω αλλεργία στο…EH-khoh ah-lehr-YEE-ah stoh |
| The bill, please | Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώton loh-ghah-ryahz-MOH |
Shopping and money
Prices, cards, and politely not buying anything.
| English | Greek |
|---|---|
| How much is it? | Πόσο κάνει;POH-soh KAH-nee |
| That's too expensive | Είναι πολύ ακριβόEE-neh poh-LEE ah-kree-VOH |
| Do you take cards? | Δέχεστε κάρτα;THEH-khes-teh KAR-tah |
| I am just looking | Απλώς κοιτάωah-PLOHS kee-TAH-oh |
| Do you have…? | Έχετε…;EH-kheh-teh |
| A receipt, please | Απόδειξη, παρακαλώah-POH-thee-ksee |
Emergencies
Worth reading once before you need them.
| English | Greek |
|---|---|
| Help! | Βοήθεια!voh-EE-thee-ah |
| Call the police | Καλέστε την αστυνομίαkah-LES-teh teen ah-stee-noh-MEE-ah |
| Call an ambulance | Καλέστε ασθενοφόροkah-LES-teh ahs-theh-noh-FOH-roh |
| I need a doctor | Χρειάζομαι γιατρόkhree-AH-zoh-meh yah-TROH |
| I am lost | Έχω χαθείEH-khoh khah-THEE |
| Where is the hospital? | Πού είναι το νοσοκομείο;poo EE-neh toh noh-soh-koh-MEE-oh |
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Four things that fix
most of the accent
Ναι means YES
It sounds like the English "nay" and it means the exact opposite. Όχi (OH-khee) is no. This catches out every English speaker on day one, usually while ordering.
The question mark is a semicolon
Μιλάτε αγγλικά; is a question, not two clauses. It looks like a typo and is not.
δ and θ are both "th", but different ones
δ is the th in "this" — soft, voiced. θ is the th in "thin" — hard, breathed. Δεν (not) is "then"; θέλω (I want) is "THEH-loh".
The written accent marks the stress
Every Greek word of more than one syllable carries one, and it tells you exactly where the emphasis goes. Unlike Russian, you never have to guess.
Spotted a mistake in the Greek? Tell us and we will fix it.
You will not remember
all 36
Nobody does. OmniTalk speaks Greek for you in real time — point the camera at a menu, or put the phone between you and let it translate both sides of the conversation as you talk. It works offline once you download the language, so it keeps going when your roaming does not.